It happens every single time a clip of Brittney Griner goes viral. Someone on social media—usually someone who hasn't followed the WNBA for more than five minutes—hears her speak or sees her wingspan and immediately starts typing. You've seen the comments. They’re usually blunt, often rude, and almost always centered on one question: Is Brittney Griner a male or female?
Honestly, the internet can be a weird place. Because she’s 6'9" and has a voice that sits in a deep, baritone register, people jump to wild conclusions. But if you're looking for the actual, documented truth without the Twitter noise, the answer is simple. Brittney Griner is a biological female. She was born female, identifies as a woman, and has competed as a woman her entire life, from high school in Houston to the Olympic podium.
Why Do People Keep Asking This?
It’s mostly about expectations. We have these narrow little boxes for what a woman is "supposed" to look and sound like. When someone like Griner comes along—someone who is taller than most NBA point guards and doesn't lean into traditional "feminine" styling—it breaks people's brains a bit.
Griner has been dealing with this since she was a kid. In her memoir In My Skin, she talked about how middle school was a nightmare. Kids would literally scream in the hallways that she must be a boy. It wasn't true then, and it isn't true now. Her deep voice is just biology. Think about it: she’s nearly seven feet tall. That means a larger thoracic cavity and longer vocal cords. It’s the same reason a cello sounds deeper than a violin.
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There's also the "androgynous" style she embraces. Griner has famously skipped the WNBA’s "makeup seminars" for rookies. She wears what she wants, usually favoring menswear or athletic gear. For some folks, that’s enough to spark a conspiracy theory. But style isn't biology.
The Physicality of a Generational Athlete
Let’s look at the actual record. If there were any doubt about Griner’s biological sex, she wouldn't have made it through the rigors of elite international sports.
- NCAA Dominance: She played four years for the Baylor Lady Bears. You think a Division I program under Kim Mulkey wouldn't have vetted their star player?
- Olympic Testing: Griner is a three-time gold medalist. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIBA have strict protocols. She’s been tested more than almost any athlete on the planet.
- The Russian Detention: This is a grim but verifying detail. When she was held in Russia in 2022, she was processed through the Russian legal and penal system. While there were brief reports of a paperwork error that initially listed her incorrectly, she was held in female facilities and treated as a female prisoner throughout that ordeal.
People often point to her ability to dunk as "proof" of something else. That’s just silly. Griner was dunking in high school because she’s a 6'9" world-class athlete with incredible reach. It’s rare in the women’s game, sure, but it’s not impossible for a human being with those dimensions.
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Addressing the Transgender Rumors
Sorta related to the male/female question is the recurring rumor that Griner is transgender. Again, there’s zero evidence for this. Griner has never identified as trans. She is an openly gay woman—she came out publicly right around the 2013 WNBA Draft—but being a lesbian is about who you’re attracted to, not your gender identity.
She’s actually been quite vocal about the struggles of being a "gender-bending" athlete. She knows she doesn't fit the mold. She’s even posed for ESPN The Magazine’s "Body Issue" to show the world exactly who she is, scars and all. She’s flat-chested, she’s muscular, and she’s tall. None of those things make her any less of a woman.
Real Life Beyond the Court
In early 2026, the conversation has shifted a bit as Griner has settled into a new chapter of her life. She’s now a parent. She and her wife, Cherelle Griner, welcomed their son, Bash, in 2024. Seeing her in "mom mode" has softened some of the internet vitriol, but the "is she a man" memes still pop up like clockwork whenever she blocks a shot or gives an interview.
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It’s worth noting that the "gender policing" Griner faces is something Black female athletes deal with at a disproportionate rate. From Serena Williams to Caster Semenya, women who are "too strong" or "too fast" or "too tall" often find their womanhood under a microscope. It’s a tired trope, honestly.
How to Navigate the Noise
If you find yourself in a debate about this, or you're just curious yourself, here are the takeaways to keep things grounded in reality:
- Check the Source: Most of the "Griner is a man" claims come from blurry TikToks or "satire" websites that people mistake for news.
- Understand Biology: Height and vocal pitch vary wildly across the human spectrum. Being an outlier doesn't change your biological sex.
- Respect the Career: Griner has a decade-plus paper trail of medicals, drug tests, and physicals from the WNBA, USA Basketball, and international leagues. All of them confirm she is female.
The next time you see a viral clip of her speaking, remember that you're looking at a woman who has spent her life being told she’s "different" and decided to be okay with it. She isn't hiding anything. She’s just a 6'9" center with a lot of hardware in her trophy case and a voice that carries.
To get a better sense of how athletes like Griner are changing the landscape of sports, you might want to look into the history of the WNBA's growth or read her first-hand account of her life in Coming Home. Seeing the human side of the "stat line" usually clears up the confusion pretty fast.